The information technology (IT) manufacturing environment involves many complex bills of materials with a large variety of sensitive components utilized for assembly. In a discrete manufacturing build model where these components are handled and plugged frequently and stored as work in process inventory, workmanship defects may arise due to component damage. Using six sigma techniques to identify quality detractors, a failure mode in this environment has been derived from the handling and management of cables. Whether it is sensitive pins in many cable heads or plastic connectors on Ethernet cables, there is significant potential for damage to these parts in a manufacturing environment.
Additionally, there are other issues associated with the management of cables. These cables are visually very similar in nature. Hence, there are instances wherein the “age” of the cable is discarded resulting in poor dispatching methodologies. The poor dispatching methods result in aging of these cables. Another source of defects in cables is caused by their ‘over-bending’ while coiling them for storage purposes.